Lauren Kate was a staple in my YA/Teen years and she's come back in full force to write the magical realism romcom of my DREAMS. Go in blind, and have FUN!

I thought I knew EXACTLY where The Spirit of Love was heading. I knew each poly twist and was worried it was going to be totally predicable. Still, Fenny’s journey from a hopeful screenwriter to someone discovering the true depths of love is both relatable and inspiring. The characters feel real and multi-dimensional, with Sam and Jude’s mysterious connection adding intrigue and emotional tension that kept me turning the pages.
Lauren Kate’s storytelling is immersive, with vivid descriptions of Catalina Island that make you feel like you’re right there experiencing it. The book explores themes of destiny, soulmates, and self-discovery in a way that’s both heartfelt and uplifting.
I couldn’t put this book down. Turns out every single thing I KNEW was going to happen was totally wrong and I was surprised at the plot twists.. The Spirit of Love is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a romantic story with depth, charm, and a touch of whimsy.

The Spirit of Love is a contemporary romance with a sweet, heartfelt story and relatable characters. Lauren Kate crafts engaging interactions and tender moments that make the book an easy and enjoyable read. The romance is warm and comforting, providing a feel-good experience for readers who enjoy light love stories.

That said, the plot can feel predictable, and some character arcs and subplots lack depth, which limits the story’s emotional impact. While pleasant, the novel leans on familiar romance tropes and doesn’t offer many surprises, making it entertaining but not particularly memorable.

Overall, The Spirit of Love is a charming, casual read—perfect for fans of feel-good romance, though it doesn’t leave a lasting impression.

Fenny loves writing for the show Zombie Hospital but it’s not her dream. She wants to be a director. Her dream is so close that when it slips out of her grip, she is wrecked. Jude is a highly sought after director. He loves Zombie Hospital and is excited to step in and direct this season. Will Fenny be able to work with Jude or will her disappointment cause too much tension?

This is a story told in parts. The author takes the time to tell readers about Fenny’s life and dreams. She has a strong relationship with her sister that helps bring her balance. She decides to spend a weekend on Catalina Island to relax before her first time directing but instead she finds herself being taken care of by a younger man. Refreshed and renewed she returns only to find out that her dream of directing is gone. That’s the point in the book where the author introduces Jude. He is a bit of a mystery at first but his background is slowly revealed making him a well rounded character. The best part of this story is Fenny and Jude learning to work together and discovering that sometimes people really are soulmates. There are many side characters who all add to and help advance the story.

This story takes place mostly in and around Los Angeles. This is a soulmates story with a Hollywood tv production as a backdrop. The ending is very satisfying and feels very real. I loved these characters and how the author wrapped all of the pieces together. I will definitely read more from this author in the future.

4.5 ⭐

I loved this so much! The magical realism was such a cool touch, it’s reminiscent of Ashley Poston!

One important aspect that was missing for me was I wish he remembered the past, that would’ve made it so much better for me.

But it was such an enjoyable read for me and I’ll definitely be reading Lauren’s previous books that featured the side characters.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

This was such a fun read! I love a well written magical realism story. I'm usually one to go in blind and I would definitely read the blurb first if you plan to read this one. I was definitely a little confused at parts but it all came together but would have been better had I known a little bit about the book prior to starting it.

I love magical realism romance and this was beautifully done. Fenny, Jude, Sam, and the rest of the cast of characters all felt so realistic and well-developed and I loved being in their world.

The magical realism in this book was good, I just kept thinking how it was going to work out in the end. But it was a fun book to sweep you off your feet and transport you into a love triangle of sorts.

I started this without knowing much about and it was really confused. Once I re-read the premise I was up to speed and really enjoyed this. I would say not to go in blind on this one if you're easily distracted or confused, LOL!

I didn't read very far because I didn't enjoy the frequent strong language and trashy dialogue. DNFed it, sadly. I wanted to enjoy this story.

A little supernatural twist, this one hit the feels well. I loved the work/personal life balance (or the struggle within itself even to define balance) and felt the chemistry between the characters. I think the ending needed a bit more to wrap everything up tighter but enjoyed it!

I’ve read all of Lauren Kate’s novels and they keep getting better and better! Loved the magical realism.. this was the perfect beach read! She will always be an auto buy for me!

This book was a great surprise, I loved so much of it!

Fenny is sweet and ambitious, very career oriented and focused on getting her dreams achieved - she really wants to be a director. The weekend before achieving her goals, he meets Sam, who is carefree and healing‑powered. The perfect connection. They both have an incredible weekend together and when getting back to work, she meets Jude, a director coming to take her place who is older, guarded, and mysterious. They both look a lot alike. The whole thing is basically Fenny falling for two halves of one guy, and she has to decide which version is her true soul‑match… and whether her love can piece him back together. It’s equal parts time-slip fantasy and workplace romance.

The vibes are dreamy—the storm rescue, the little cabin nights… it’s cozy, weird, magical and emotional, all in the best way… and deeper than your typical summer read. I loved glimpsing Fenny’s mind and feeling all the confusion and hope.

Overall, it’s a soulful rom‑com with magical realism. I’d happily read it again on a summer beach day or during a stormy night in.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this story, even though I could see where it was going. The characters were engaging, the storyline was great, There were times I wanted to yell at the main characters, but that's all part of the fun. This gave me a lot of the same feels as Ashley Poston's The Seven Year Slip. All in all, would recommend.

Swoon—this one deserves ALL the stars!
I will always be ALL IN for a story that explores a love so powerful it transcends time and space—and this one completely stole my heart.

I absolutely loved Sam. I completely loved Jude. And I adored who Fenny was with both of them. Watching the way her character shifted and grew across each relationship made me feel every beat of this story even deeper.

This marks my third romcom from Lauren Kate—after devouring By Any Other Name and What’s in a Kiss?—and she’s officially 3 for 3 with FIVE STAR reads from me. I’ll read anything she writes in the adult romcom world from here on out!

Released July 1st, 2025, this romantic jewel is available now—so go grab a copy and fall in love like I did!

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Lauren Kate, and Penguin Group Putnam for the chance to read this absolute romcom masterpiece in exchange for a review. 💕

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️

this was such a quick read for me! i finished the entire thing in one sitting & honestly i'm glad for that. the magical realism element demands to be finished!

this was a really cute book and i enjoyed the little twist here with sam & jude. such different men, yet somehow so similiar. they were like the perfect mix for fenny which was so cute. her character was so funny and delightful that i had so much fun with her dialogue.

this book doesn't have a ton of spice in it so if you're looking for more of a smutty contemp romance this is not going to be it. however, if you're in the mood for something with a good plot, witty banter, and a sex scene, then i'd recommend giving this a try!

I'm not going to lie, I didn't think I would enjoy this book while in the first few chapters. While it wasn't my favorite and had some tropes I strongly dislike, this was cute. There was a lot of (necessary) growing our characters experienced. This is evident in the end when people finally use their voices and communicate! (I do not like miscommunication tropes, I am so sorry).

I agree with other readers that this is a good book to go into blind, but I also found it to be predictable. I had the big reveal (which happens about 10 pages from the end) about 20% in. That said, if you let the book just take you on the journey, you'll find it was a pleasant ride. The idea of this was unique.

I had an arc of this, so I really hope some things were changed. Namely-- THE NAMES. Something about the name Finny made it hard for me to take the emotional scenes seriously. Not to mention the baby named Jarvis and the toddler named Frank? And the child named BUSTER. I did have an early copy, however, so I don't know what, if anything, was changed!

4.25⭐
Even though the blurb contains a major spoiler, I was still memerized by the flow of the story staying up until 3am to finish the story. It's Fenny's directorial debut on the show she holds dear after starting as a PA and working her way up through the writer's room. A life-changing weekend after being rescued by Sam abruptly ends when she learns she has been replaced as director by the new Hollywood wunderkind, Jude. Already devestated, she turns to meet Jude and sees older doppelganger of Sam. Great characters and an almost palpable sense of connection between them.

3 stars. The description of the book did give away something that was confirmed at the end of the book. It was a good story, but because there was really no explanation of why or how it happened, or even a clear understanding of how they are the same person (and the older version doesn't remember anything the younger version experienced) was a bit frustrating and confusing,

I requested this book purely based on loving By any other name. Did not realize it had a magical realism theme, similar to what's in a kiss (which i did not enjoy) and is my least favorite trope But ended up giving it a shot anyways!

Ultimately this book was not for me. The plot was unrealistic and lacking in depth making it hard to root for either love interest.

Thank you Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the ARC in exchange for my review!